..............................................This Blog Named to LexisNexis' 2011 Top 50 List

Thursday, March 26, 2015

[WIMS] Environmental HotSheet 3/26/15

National / International News

<>Argument analysis: Michigan v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency In the U.S. Supreme Court. EPA may be a vote short -- or not. . . The agency's decision to regulate the emissions of mercury and other poisonous chemicals from the stacks of electricity-generating power plants that burn coal came out of the argument with clear support from only three Justices and possibly a fourth, offset by clear opposition from two and probably three others.

<>EPA Report: Automakers Surpassing Light-Duty Greenhouse Gas Standards- March 26, 2015. For the second consecutive model year, the automotive industry outperformed the national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards by a wide margin. Overall industry compliance in model year 2013 was 12 grams/mile  or 1.4 miles per gallon  better than required by the 2013 standard.

API twisting DOE report on crude oil- A survey of crude oil science commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy is being cited, rather loosely, by the oil industry's national lobby to discredit proponents of compulsory treatment of crude oil before it is loaded into railcars.

<> NRDC's List of Problems with California's Draft Environmental Report on Fracking- NRDC reviewed that draft with partners at the Center for Biological Diversity, LA Waterkeeper, and the Sierra Club & together they submitted a107-page comment letter in response, along with two expert reports--one on the significant air pollution impacts and another discrediting claims about the economic impacts of well stimulation.

<> RFF/Stanford seminar/webcast on Offshore Energy in the Arctic- April 1, 2015, 12:45-2:00 p.m. EDT. The Obama administration has taken stepsincluding the development of a targeted leasing model and the recent release of proposed Arctic drilling standardsto develop offshore oil and gas regulations tailored to the unique environment of the Arctic

<> Governor's Recycling Summit registration is open- The Governor's Recycling Summit and 33rd Annual Michigan Recycling Coalition Conference, taking place May 5-7, in Kalamazoo, mark the end of the first year of Governor Snyder's two year push to double Michigan's recycling rate.

<> MDEQ approves revisions to Eagle Mine groundwater permit- Mercury levels in the effluent and the groundwater are limited pursuant to Rule 1098, Antidegradation, of the Part 4 Rules of Part 31 of 1994 PA 451, as amended. Mercury is the only Bioaccumulative Substance of International Concern in the discharge.

<>Concerned citizens plan 3 days of protest against Graymont proposal, more, March 27, 28, 29- Dr. Martin Reinhardt, a citizen of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and an assistant professor of Native American Studies at Northern Michigan University, initiated this demonstration to cast a light on how the State of Michigan is violating the treaty rights of Michigan tribes and disenfranchising both tribal and non-tribal citizens from their right to clean air, water, and land.

<> Grand Rapids asks for help to keep lampreys out- The new barrier would take over the function of blocking the lampreys' spread after the planned demolition of a dam as part of an effort to restore the rapids that give the city its name.

Newly introduced bills and bills that are moving, if any, are listed below. Click on the bill number for complete status, full text, & analyses. Uppercase is Senate action; lowercase is House action. Otherwise, for a complete list of environmental legislation this session (click here).